


Thine Absolution

by Indigoidiot



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Depression, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Self Harm, Slow Burn, mlm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 08:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16678504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indigoidiot/pseuds/Indigoidiot
Summary: The God of Control has been vanquished by the Phantom Thieves +1, the +1 being detective prince Goro Akechi. Akira and Morgana left for home, leaving the rest of the Phantom Thieves in Tokyo with their new member. Now living in Leblanc's attic at his own request, Akechi faces a series of odd dreams and hallucinations that lead to isolation and self torment. The thieves respond by trying to integrate him into the group properly, with Ryuji adding his own personal flair.





	1. Fantasies

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Persona fanfiction despite being a fan since 4 and making another unreleased fic for that game. I'm a huge fan of slow character devolopment and Ryugoro so here we stand. I have a few chapters written in advance that will release some time in the future, so I hope you enjoy!

Akechi had always woken up to a blaring alarm clock in a tiny grey and white apartment.  
He had always made a cup of cheap instant coffee before a shower and getting dressed for school.  
He had always absorbedly checked his phone on the commute via the subway, checking his public image, taking a picture or two with the high school girls that would recognize him.  
He had always eaten a single apple at school for lunch, and another for dinner at work, the exciting days consisted of cups of instant noodles.  
He had always trudged home after the train ride and laid awake in bed for hours scrolling through posts.  
Akechi wouldn’t say he had a repetitive lifestyle, he had the occasional crepe, a cup of cafe coffee, conveyor belt sushi with Nijima. In the recent year, he had significantly more Mementos and Metaverse escapades, as well as run ins with one Akira Kurusu, and a gang called the Phantom Thieves.  
Small changes were welcome to this lifestyle that was Goro Akechi’s. March though, was a month of change.

The gray and colorless apartment became the worn mature brown of an attic. Every morning would greet his nostrils with the scent of coffee beans, jostling him from his tired stupor. The first sensation he could feel waking up was the shape of his phone in his hand, which he gripped tightly before opening his eyes, still heavy with crust.  
With his groggy, blurry field of vision, Akechi found the unlock button on his phone and checked the notifications to find he’s received nothing but spam emails, once he’d scrolled through the messages.  
An exasperated sigh escaped his throat as he willed up the small amount of energy he had to sit up in his bed.

The coffee smell was strong and present in the attic, which told Akechi that the owner of the store, Sojiro Sakura, had opened the place for business. With a guttural groan and a drawn out yawn, he forced his legs to spur to life and stand upright on the old wooden floor and walk himself to his wardrobe, a silver generic rolling suitcase piled high with unfolded, freshly laundered clothes.

Snatching a pair of black dress pants and a generic white T shirt, he dressed himself in a daze and absentmindedly grabbed his phone from it’s charger.

The java fumes hit his sense of smell like a truck after descending the staircase. The regular that Sojiro casually complained of being a poetic fool had his arm up on one of the three booths, brown fancy wristwatch and annoying aura as usual. Along with that man was Sojiro of course, Akechi could barely see the back of his pink dress shirt poke around the corner, walking closer would reveal the spicy scent of Sakura cooking curry was dancing in the air along with the coffee aroma. In the middle of the two booths, was an elderly couple that Akechi observed as enjoying coming to this cafe on Tuesdays and Fridays for breakfast. The third patron had bright orange silky hair and a fragile, toothpick thin build, her face in a laptop as both hands lightly balanced a boiling hot cup of coffee.

“Futaba, wait for it to cool down.” Came a mature voice from the owner who revealed himself from the corner, oven mitts on and carrying a steaming pot of what Akechi assumes to be the treasured dish of choice from every patron in the establishment.  
Futaba didn’t utter a word aside from a simple “hmph”, before setting the mug on the counter and going back to her work.

Sojiro’s eye just so happened to catch sight of Akechi reaching for the bathroom door, as he put the curry pot down on the counter.

“Oh? Is sleeping beauty awake?” Sojiro quipped. Futaba’s gaze followed her adoptive father’s line of sight and the two teenagers’ eyes met. Akechi slapped on a smile and let out a small giggle.

“I hope I haven’t been a bother, Sakura-san.” Akechi retorted with utmost politeness, before slipping into the bathroom, the conversation now cut short.

Futaba found herself staring at the bathroom door from her seat at he counter, thinking.  
He was bumming out here for a month and that’s all he has to say?

“Enough with the stink eye Futaba.” Sojiro scolded his daughter in a tart, playful manner, as Futaba simply huffed.

“It’s not a stink eye! Meanie Sojiro...” she paused to check if her coffee had cooled, now taking a still hot sip.

“It’s just... he doesn’t come downstairs for anything other than bathroom breaks, or when you yell at him to come down. I think he sleeps all day up there.” Futaba confided in the elderly man, to which Sojiro simply gave a trademark smirk, slathering a plate of rice with curry and shoving the dish to his daughter.

“Huh...now where have I heard that before?” He teased, getting a puffed cheek from the younger Sakura, nothing short of playful father daughter humor in Futaba’s eyes. She gave a playful “kek”, chuckling with a mouth full of curry that she had no idea of how it even got to her mouth to begin with.

“Hey.” Sojiro looked Futaba in the eye with an aura of levelheadedness.  
“I’m sure your friends wouldn’t mind taking him out to do something, right? That is, if you’re comfortable with it.”

“You’re just saying that so he doesn’t mess with your customer inflow, right?” Futaba grinned, clearly making a joke that Sojiro deflected with shake of the head.

“It’s not that. I think that he needs to stay out of the limelight, sure... but you’re right that he’s barely left that room in days.”

“Weeks.” Futaba corrected.  
“And besides, I’m staying home today, the others went shopping. He probably wouldn’t wanna leave anyway.”

Sojiro frowned a bit.  
“Hm, I see. What about another day then? It doesn’t even have to be outside, maybe you kids could have a study session or something.”

“You’re really pushing for it huh Sojiro?” Futaba gulped another slosh of coffee over her laptop.

“Let’s just say... I want to be more active this time around.” Futaba flinched a bit, but didn’t dare to delve further into it after seeing Sojiro’s face scrunch up.

“I’m... sorry by the way, Futaba.” Sojiro gently pushed, careful not to prod too much at his daughter. “About... making this decision without asking you. Taking in the boy the other week, and-“

“It doesn’t bother me that much. About...y’know.” She paused before continuing as Sojiro visibly tried to contain his wince.  
The two sat in silence, Futaba swirling around curry and rice with her spoon and lightly tapping the spacebar on the computer, whilst Sojiro simply adjusted his glasses before taking a few steps back to fetch more plates for the other customers.

Futaba broke from her daze after hearing the toilet make a muffled flush from behind the bathroom door. She found herself looking away by swiveling the counter chair in the opposite direction of the bathroom and checking her phone, now seeing the bright red of the Phantom Thieves’ chatroom light up with Yusuke and Ann’s icons.

**Ann: Hey, where did you guys go? Haru and I are still at the food court.**

**Yusuke: Apologies. I think Ryuji ate too much of that orange chicken. He rushed off to the restroom in a hurry.**

**Yusuke: I am currently purveying the art supplies at the store next door to the restrooms.**

**Ann: You mean the kid’s school supply store?**

**Yusuke: So it would seem.**

**“Freaking Inari.” Futaba chuckled to herself as she texted a response.**

**Futaba: you could probably use that kid’s stuff for your next piece right Inari?**

**Futaba: what would it be....**

**Futaba: the simplicity of children... the simple brush strokes...the cheap paint...crayon drawings!!!**

**Futaba: Yusuke!!! Do a crayon drawing!!!**

**Ann: that’s a bit...**

**Yusuke: No no, go on.**

**Yusuke: I will admit I am liking where you are going**

**Futaba: Omg Inari you’re a legend, get that in a museum please!!!**

As Futaba happily texted, she couldn’t help but see Akechi’s icon pop up in the upper right corner of the chat window, indicating he’d been reading the conversation. If he wasn’t gonna bring attention to himself, she definitely wouldn’t. She discarded the information in favor of reading what Yusuke had to say about crayons in the art world. With that, her attention drifted away.

“Hey, you.”

Akechi was stopped from climbing back up the stairs by one Sojiro Sakura, tray in hand.

“Not to sound like a parent, but I don’t want you staying in bed all day again. Got it?” Sojiro grumbled, as Akechi simply gave a TV smile and a tiny polite nod.  
“You won’t have any issues from me, Sakura-san.” Akechi spoke as Sojiro simply sighed.  
“That wasn’t what I was asking of you.” The elder man took a moment to drop the tray on the counter with a bang. The clatter shook Futaba from her chatroom trance as her eyes darted up to Sojiro and Akechi.

“We can save this for later, but all I’ll say now is that this sleeping until the afternoon thing is gonna stop. One way or another.” Akechi’s grin faltered for but a moment before grinning softly once again. He nodded, to which Sojiro answered with his own nod and slid back to the space behind the bar, with Akechi now climbing the stairs in what sounded like a hurry to Futaba.

“Can’t wait for the reckoning of Goro Akechi tonight.” Futaba chuckled to herself in a low voice.

* * *

 

“I want you to open up shop for me.”

Akechi merely blinked. His clothes remained the same as that morning, despite it being the end of the day.

“You’re staying here and doing nothing but studying and sleeping, and while I appreciate that you’ve stayed out of sight from customers for the most part...”

“You would prefer I make myself more useful?” Akechi answered before Sojiro could find the words.  
“I wouldn’t exactly say that.” Sojiro said.  
“I understand that you can’t go out and do much. Nijima already informed me that you need to at least make an attempt to lay low to keep media attention away. But...even so, you haven’t been outside in the daylight for a week or so, correct?”

Futaba was in the booth closest to the door, her back facing the two boys. She nodded absentmindedly, knowing in full that her adoptive father couldn’t see her. It was true, she’d purposely been hanging out at Leblanc, working on her laptop the past month to keep an eye on their new guest. Only today did Futaba think to bring up the issue of their technical new recruit to the rest of her friends.

**Makoto: He hasn’t been getting into any trouble, has he?**

**Futaba: the only trouble he’s getting into is being a lazy bum all day >:(**

**Haru: Does it bother you, Futaba?**

**Futaba: kinda! He’s just laying around and doing nothing!**

**Ann: isn’t that a good thing though? I mean, Makoto’s sister said he shouldn’t be in the public eye because of the Shido news...**

**Futaba: He only leaves to go to the bathhouse! And even then it’s in the dead of night when nobody is there!**

**Yusuke: He’s probably being cautious about his being outside. I hardly see any issue with it.**

**Makoto: Is it really that big an issue Futaba?**

**Futaba: no, but still! He never leaves, he’s always in the attic, I don’t think he’s had a haircut in forever, his hair is super long and messy all the time like a hobo!**

**Futaba: I just... feel bad.**

**Ann: feel bad? Why?**

**Futaba: well I mean I’ve been there**

**Futaba: the way he is just reminds me of... yknow.**

**Yusuke: I suppose I see the similarities.**

**Makoto: Yes, I think I see what you mean.**

**Makoto: Though, whenever I deliver paperwork or schoolwork to him from my sister, he has that smile on his face.**

**Ryuji: you mean the plastic shitty grin he gives us**

**Makoto: I wouldn’t call it that but...**

**Futaba: Ryuji knows what’s going on**

**Futaba: sooooo I wanted to ask a favor from everybody**

**Haru: what is the favor?**

**Futaba: can we do that thing that you guys did for me?**

**Ann: the thing we did for you?**

**Ann: Oh! When we split up days between us to hang out with you?**

**Futaba: yeah!!! That!!!**

**Makoto: I don’t know... would that work?**

**Futaba: sure it would!!! Oh!!! And we didn’t throw him a welcome party yet either!**

**Ann: Oh yeah, I forgot about that.**

**Yusuke: you intend to have a Phantom Thieves welcome party when the Phantom Thieves are no longer in business?**

**Haru: I don’t believe that it will be a problem, it seems like a good idea.**

**Makoto: I suppose we could do that. So then a welcome party followed by hanging out in groups?**

**Haru: What should we do for the party though? Futaba-chan made it seem like Akechi-kun wouldn’t be willing to leave Leblanc.**

**Yusuke: Then we will ease him into it. The party will be in Leblanc.**

**Ann: alright! I’ll go shopping for food tomorrow! Do you know what he likes Futaba?**

**Futaba: no idea.**

**Futaba: though I think Sojiro caught him making instant noodles one morning.**

**Ryuji: oof.**

**Ann: hm... maybe hot pot again?**

**Ryuji: we already did that for Yusuke’s party, it should be different for everyone shouldn’t it?**

**Ann: geez, then what do you wanna get him Ryuji?**

**Ryuji: i don’t know a pizza?**

**Ryuji: I don’t know what the hell he likes**

**Haru: I believe he said he likes sweets, did he not?**

**Ryuji: you think he meant it when he said that?**

**Makoto: We have no way of knowing. Why don’t we just get a pizza then? It’s the safe bet.**

**Yusuke: I propose we also get garlic knots.**

“Futaba.” The girl jumped at hearing her name from her surrogate father. Sojiro gently laid a hand on her shoulder and grinned.  
“Let’s head home and get you to bed. You’re going to school in a month, right?” said Sojiro, who already had his foot halfway out the door before turning back to the staircase. Futaba now noticed Akechi was gone, assuredly upstairs and getting ready for bed.

“Remember, start going to bed earlier!” Sojiro briskly shouted to Akechi, careful not to disrupt any neighbors.  
Futaba reluctantly stood up to follow her adoptive father, before looking back to the staircase.

“Lazy bum.” Futaba muttered to herself before sticking her nose back into her phone and leaving the cafe.

—-

There was a chilling draft brushing against the back of Akechi’s neck, unlike the usual sunlight filtering in from the window. All that reached his ears was a silent aura, only breaking with a jingle of something cold lingering on his arms.

  
As his field of vision focused at the opening of his eyes, he made out the sight of a bundle of dark silver and white chains around his hands.  
Twitching his feet in an attempt to stand, he felt another bundle of chains tied to his right ankle. Abandoning any attempts with his right leg due to the restraint, he pushed himself up with the left, putting effort towards sitting up rather than standing. With his new height, Akechi could see his surroundings.

He had been laid down on a wooden bench against a wall, and to the farther side of the room was an identical bench to his. He could quickly see the room was adorned in pale blues and gold, rather than brown or white. Seated at the bench opposite his was a blonde haired woman garbed in blue much like the courtroom itself.

“Are we awake now...?”

Akechi took a while to respond to her question, only glancing at her before bending over and staring at his lap, chained wrists resting on his legs.

“So.” Akechi started.  
“I’m here again?”  
It took a lot from Akechi not to let out a frown, or any form of displeasure at the repetitive times he’d been in this room in his dreams. It was a dream, nothing that was ever said to him in these visions meant anything.

The woman let out a small giggle after covering her mouth with one hand.  
“Apologies, my master wishes to speak to you again.” She spoke in her usual calm manner, her golden yellow eyes gleaming.

He’d thought many times over if the pleading golden gazes of the shadows he had executed over the years of causing mental shutdowns had amalgamated into this woman.  
She seemed fairly innocent and kind, much more favorable to look at than the other denizen of this room.  
Akechi turned his gaze over to the Judge’s bench, which harbored a hobbled over old looking man with wide eyes and a long nose. All the psychology guide books he could find online said nothing about this kind of dream, nothing about golden eyed blonde girls or long nosed men nor dreams that occurred in continuity about 3 times a week.

“Welcome... to the Velvet Room.” The same phrase as always from the hunchback almost made Akechi groan. His straight-laced posture undid itself as he slumped up against the wall, chains rattling.  
“We have seen each other many a time now have we not, holder of the Justice arcana?” The hunchback man spoke, his voice bouncing off the huge walls and gold etchings of the courthouse.

“I believe that soon the time will be upon us... to begin your rehabilitation.”  
Akechi did jump a bit at that, hearing the word rehabilitation while chained to one spot behind a defense attorney’s bench.

Igor flashed a grin at Akechi, huge eyes staring right through him as a chill ran up his spine.

Akechi turned to meet eyes with the blonde haired woman across the room from him. He stared in contemplation for a while before she gave small chuckle. The woman’s name was Margaret if Akechi remembered correctly.

She whipped out a deck of cards, and wiped them across her table so they all formed an arch.

“I believe by now that you should know you are a special case for I and my master.” She snatched a card without even looking down at the array. She held up the card, with Akechi fidgeting in his bench at the sight of the Justice card. She grinned, snatching another, this time it was the Fool.

“Goro Akechi.” Igor’s voice echoed off the large ceiling. “...holder of the Justice arcana, and gifted with the power of the wild card.” He let out an ominous laugh that made Akechi's arms bunch up into goosebumps.  
“The wild card... the ability to wield more than one mask, more than one Persona, is ordinarily reserved just for the Fool arcana. Through trifling by the God of Control, we are now left with a wild card Justice...” he rubbed his chin in thought, Akechi didn’t like the situation, dream or no.

The Personas were gone, the Phantom Thieves made sure of that. No more Metaverse, no more Personas, no more powers, no more cognitive assassinations.

“As unorthodox as this is, it is the duty of this Velvet Room to oversee your journey.” Igor boomed, gesturing to Margaret with a wave of the hand. She tapped her desk with long manicured nails, before chuckling with a warm glow.  
“We look forward to seeing you back when you are in need of assistance.” Margaret bowed, posture polite and refined.

Akechi felt a wave of drowsiness come over him, and his eyesight became black. Before he could realize what was happening, he felt his body collide with the bench as his consciousness faded.


	2. Festivities

**Yusuke: Are you ready yet Ryuji? I am entering your apartment complex now.**

Ryuji caught a glimpse at his phone seated next to him on the ground as he tied his shoes. A burnt piece of toast rested between his teeth. Giving one last tug to his right side laces, he grabs his phone and types a quick reply to Yusuke.

**Ryuji: gime a sec**

Ryuji stuffed his phone into his hoodie pocket and scooped up a messily wrapped yellow box, ready to pounce out the door. Before anything else, he gobbled down his charred bread and wiped the blackened crumbs off on his pants, making a mental note to clean it up later tonight when he came back.

“I’m heading out for the day!” Ryuji chimed, making a second precautionary tug to both of his shoelaces. He glanced back into the house when he heard the scuff of slippers on the floor behind him. He was met by his mother, an apron hung around her frame and an age worn smile on her lightly wrinkled face. Ryuji never would have said she looked old, just tired. Just looking at his petite mother had him feeling so guilty about the crumbs that he wanted to quickly jog back inside and sweep up his mess.

“Bye honey, have fun, ok?” She gently took her son’s face in her palms and pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek. Ryuji repeated the gesture, brushing his lips against her opposite cheek and feeling the warmth in her face.

”I need you to pick up some things at the market when you’re done, ok? I’ll send you a list.” She spoke, fully aware Ryuji was in a rush to get out the door. He only sighed, before enthusiastically nodding and smiling.

“No prob ma, I’ll be back soon as I can.” He reassured her with a gentle tone.  
“Alright, gotta go.” Ryuji turned with a grin and left, swinging the door open and doing a light jog for the stairs out of his complex. 

* * *

The stale java taste of Akechi’s microwaved coffee twirled around in his closed mouth. He counted sips, his brain static and silent with vision trained blankly on the television in Leblanc. He sighed after swallowing his most recent swig, blinking and clearing his sight after staring at nothing.

The news, nothing that mattered, nothing that was of interest to him. Some dumb pop star on an interview for a new album, some stupid celebrity getting into a scandal with a love interest, who watched this crap?

He only rolled his eyes after hearing sparse words concerning a ‘young musician with a place in the industry’. Who the hell cared about such trite garbage?

He took another chug of crappy caffeine, feeling nothing to alleviate the drowsiness that dragged at his eyes. Despite living in a coffee shop, where any notion of being sleepy was struck away by the scent alone, there was rarely any moment in the past two weeks that he hadn’t wanted to drop and fall asleep. 

His maw almost unhinged with another yawn, a bead of moisture gathering in the corner of his eye.

Finding nothing else of interest to occupy his time, Akechi decided to go food hunting in the pantry. While tossing aside less desirable flavors of instant soba noodles, he heard the ding of the door chime to the shop. He noted the sound with not a bit of concern. As far as he cared, it was just the owner Sojiro coming in earlier than promised.

He shut the cabinet door holding his crate of noodles without a worry over the noise and made for the sink to fill his dish.

"Akechi, that you?" He heard a meek little female voice from the dining area, and continued silently with his 'cooking'. He briefly threw the container in the microwave for the advised time and slapped on a grin for his visitor.

"Hello Sakura-chan!" He presented himself with a straight posture, proud shoulders, flawless smile, to one Futaba Sakura. She was seated at the center booth where he'd left his coffee and phone. He quickly saw her relaxed posture become suddenly stressed once she and him met eyes, the subject of stress being her holding his phone. The memory of Futaba stealing his phone away in front of Sae Nijiima's palace before their first heist set off warning bells in his head.

"Sakura-chan, you wouldn't happen to be hacking my phone, would you?" He asked as politely as his sleep starved body would allow, the smile eating away at the strength in his cheeks. She tensed even more, her feet planted themselves on top of the booth bench and her back bent forward as she gently put the phone down, screen upward. She tried on a smile as well, with apologetic eyes and nervously wrapped together hands.

"N-no... i just... like the-" Futaba choked.

"The model? It's the same as it was before." Akechi finished her sentence. He could feel the corners of his mouth burn with stress, his right cheek twitching.

"U-um...! I'm sorry!" Futaba pleaded, letting down her apologetic brow as it was replaced with panicked, flustered eyes. She plucked a box out of the inside of her bomber jacket, tied in red ribbon with a blue wrapping. "Take this! As sorry! I'm sorry Akechi! For snooping!" She practically shoved it into his chest when she jumped out of the booth to give it to him.

He let down the forced smile, allowing himself to show surprise with the box. The shape resembled that of a small book, but too small and lightweight when he felt it in his hands after Futaba forced him into taking it. She flung herself back into her seat and watched in anticipation as he tilted her gift around in both hands in abject wonder. He lightly shook it and felt a rattle, like whatever was inside wasn't properly together. The back of his mind screamed that it must have been broken somehow, before reasoning out that it was probably a case for something. That something was probably a DVD or video game, as it had a plastic give to it when he squeezed. Before daring to lift the paper, he turned to look at Futaba, who avoided Akechi's eyes by staring at her phone.

He felt multiple vibrations in his pocket the same moment he heard her typing in the group chat. He transferred the case to his right hand and pulled out his phone with his left.

**Futaba: got here first**

**Futaba: where are the rest of you?**

**Haru: I am pulling into the Yongen Jaya station right now!**

**Haru: I'll be there in a few minutes Futaba-chan.**

**Goro: Is everybody meeting here for something?**

**Ann: You could say that.**

**Goro: ?**

**Goro: Sakura-chan just gave me a gift box after entering the cafe, is it related to that?**

**Futaba: hey!!! don't tell them!!!**

**Futaba: i gave you that in full secrecy!!!**

**Makoto: Futaba...**

**Futaba: he beat it out of me!!!**

**Futaba: it was a peace offering!!!**

**Goro: I did no such thing, and you gave it to me after I caught you with my phone.**

**Makoto: Futaba.**

**Futaba: geez!!! SORRY!**

**Ann: Me and Makoto are heading out now, I had some last minute shopping to do.**

**Ryuji: you mean some last minute gift shoppin**

**Ann: Hey!, I bet you waited til last minute to get yours!**

**Ryuji: so thats a yes**

**Ann: >:(**

**Goro: Gift Shopping?**

**Makoto: It was supposed to be a surprise, but I guess Futaba already spoiled it.**

**Futaba: ༼ಢ_ಢ༽**

**Haru: We're having a party!**

**Goro: Hm?**

**Ann: It was kinda last minute, but we're celebrating before school starts up again.**

**Yusuke: I believe you are going to begin attending Shujin in a week or so, correct, Futaba?**

**Futaba: ༼☯﹏☯༽**

**Ryuji: same**

**Ryuji: not looking forward to this year**

**Ann: Would you relax?**

**Ann: Both of you will be fine, it's not that bad, just study and you should be good.**

**Futaba: "easier said than done" - Ryuji Sakamoto**

**Ryuji: hey**

**Ann: PFFFF**

**Makoto: Anyway, we'll be there in a while you two, Akechi, Futaba.**

**Goro: Okay then.**

**Futaba: hurry up! i'm starving!**

Futaba put down her phone to look up at Akechi with her chin resting on the heels of her palms. Akechi followed suit, stuffing his phone away and placing the gift box on the bar counter.

"Are you all having a gift exchange of some sort?" Akechi wondered, leaving Futaba to answer.

"I guess you could say that." She sighed, tapping at her phone with one finger after hearing a notification alert. "It was my idea, so I'm kinda bummed I spoiled it." She hesitated Your glare is scary..."

"Erm...glare?" He was almost offended that she saw that as a glare, but on further thought, the smile probably morphed into one unintentionally.

"S-sorry, by the way, about... your phone." Futaba squeaked, meek and shy. She fiddled with her nails to avoid his sight. He took it as a proper apology and waved it off.

"It's fine." He hesitated, looking from the DVD box back to her. He was easily able to decipher what it was by just holding and feeling it, but receiving something was still a pleasant surprise. "Thank you, by the way, for the present."

"No prob." She pouted. She sniffed to stuff down the remnants of a cold, or allergies, before sniffing even more at the air. 

"Are you making soba? I smell soba."

"You can't have any." Akechi deadpanned as Futaba whined. 

* * *

 Haru entered Leblanc only a few minutes later to see Futaba wrestling with Akechi for a bite of his food. Haru set down her large gift box next to Futaba’s and went to sit down in the same booth, Futaba sitting opposite from Akechi with Haru next to him. Makoto and Ann arrived soon after with their own gifts. Theirs were shaped so that Akechi could tell right away what they were on sight. 

Ann’s had the physics of some form of clothing, bend and shifting with every motion and wrinkling through the paper. Makoto’s on the other hand, was form fitting. She wrapped the paper so tight that it was obvious she had bought a formal gift basket.

Makoto took a seat next to Futaba, comforting the younger girl as she cried about being hungry and how Akechi had been forcing her to waste away. Ann took a barstool and inspected the gifts with a loving eye, playing with the sloppy bow that she left on hers.

”I probably should have checked the chat more.” Akechi dejectedly sighed, catching the attention of all the girls present. ”If I had known we were planning a gift exchange, I would have bought something.”

Ann snorted, choking down a giggle, as did Haru and Futaba.

”You don’t need to worry about it Akechi-kun.” Makoto sighed, checking her phone for the umpteenth time that afternoon.

Akechi followed the motion and checked his own phone, seeing an array of news articles before dejectedly tapping on one and reading it to pass the time. Despite having four others with him, the past few minutes hadn’t kept him occupied any more than the time spent waiting and watching TV before Futaba came in. Said girl was on her phone now, while Ann and Haru fiddled with the wrapping paper on their gifts.

“Akechi.” Makoto called. Akechi snapped himself out of an oncoming daze to latch his attention onto Makoto’s stern face. 

“I just got a text from sis. She says she wants to know how you’re doing, living here in Leblanc.” She questioned, curious eyes and listening ears on, while Akechi switched to a smile with a swirl of both modesty and goodwill.

”It’s been fine. Sae-san certainly could have fed me better.” Akechi joked, throwing in a charismatic giggle for good effect. 

“Oh? I’ll be sure to tell her then.” Makoto teased before starting to text again, the recipient presumably her big sister.

”I always figured you ate better at her place.” Futaba cut in, leaning forward on the table and sprawling her arms out across the wood grain. “I mean, I haven’t seen you eat Sojiro’s curry once.”

”Ah... well, I didn’t mean anything by it Sakura-Chan...” Akechi apologized, afraid he’d done something to offend the father and daughter that allowed him to stay in their shop.

”Why don’t you taste it then?” Futaba adjusted her glasses and stared Akechi’s dead on in the eyes.

”Well, isn’t Bosses’ curry spicy?” Ann asked Futaba with concern. “You don’t like spicy food, right Akechi-kun?”

Akechi didn’t dare nod nor speak, but gave a look to signify that he indeed didn’t. 

”Y-yeah... so? It’s still awesome! I can’t think of anybody who turns down a plate of Sojiro’s curry after tasting it!” Futaba argued.

Ann spoke up again. “I think when we came here for the first time, before we met Makoto, we had the curry and Ryuji said he liked it.” Futaba raised her head. “...Which is a pretty impressive feat now that I think about it. Ever since I met him in junior high he’d stay away from super spicy stuff.”

”Hence, we should make Akechi eat it.” Futaba stated. Akechi’s brow furrowed after gulping another mouthful of caffeine.

”I would appreciate if you didn’t force me to eat spicy curry.” He spoke with a tad of displeasure to his tone.

“Well,” Futaba started, “you heard Ann, Ryuji doesn’t like spice either! It shouldn’t be a problem for you!”

”I think what he said was that... what was it...?” Ann pondered to herself. “...i dunno, something about how even though he doesn’t like spice, the curry was great.” She put a hand to her chin. “Though it is really good despite the spice...”

”Then I propose that we get that man some curry, some heaven on a plate!” Futaba stood suddenly, one fist at the waist and the other hand pointing directly at Akechi.

”Leave him be Futaba, nobody shames you for not liking ginger on your beef bowls, do they?” Makoto scolded, making Futaba's posture slouch as she returned to her seat in a slump.

”It is understandable that he doesn’t like that type of food though, is it not? I cannot imagine you would be comfortable with spicy food considering...well...” Haru joined into the conversation.

”Russian takoyaki?” Ann finished Haru’s sentence, watching in morbid humor as Akechi’s face turned a few shades paler.

”Let us not forget the moment Goro Akechi was defeated by a microwave takoyaki.” Futaba straightened and leaned up on the table.

Akechi felt the want to crawl under a rock and die, but watched with embarrassment as all the girls, even Makoto, chuckled with each other.

* * *

 

Yusuke and Ryuji arrived minutes later. Ryuji had been wheezing and out of breath after he threw the cafe door open, making straight for a bar stool and weakly sliding his average sized box, wrapped in yellow, into the growing pile. Yusuke came in after Ryuji, calm composure and all without a hint of heavy breath like Ryuji.

While Ryuji recuperated with a glass of tap water, Futaba urged Yusuke to pull up a stool and join the rest of them at their table.

"Everyone is accounted for then." Makoto announced, a tiny grin wiping across her lips. She locked both hands together by the fingers.

"We don't have our leader, Akira, with us today, I was just informed that he won't be able to make it, so we should just move along."

Akechi only watched as the rest of the teens in the cafe all nodded, even Ryuji, who was still drowning in his now half empty glass. Futaba suddenly stood and made for the counter, snatching up the gift boxes in one big pile into her arms. She huffed as she drew forth all of her strength to try and lift the presents on her own. Ryuji quickly saw what she was attempting and stood to assist her, grabbing the large heavy pink box brought by Haru and Makoto's obvious gift basket. Without much effort, he placed both parcels down on the table in front of Akechi. Futaba trailed after, following Ryuji's actions and putting down the rest of the presents in the same proximity.

Ann stood from her barstool and set her chair at the bar down next to the table with everybody else. Before sitting down, she took count of the amount of gifts. 

"Futaba's, Makoto's, Ryuji's, Haru's... mine..." She counted again, seeing all 5 presents with one absent. "Yusuke, where's yours?"

Yusuke perked a bit at hearing his name, and silently rummaged in his messenger bag, pulling out a conbini bag and placing it with everything else.

"Apologies, I couldn't find the appropriate gift paper for my present." Yusuke grimaced upon looking at the bag one more time. "I wish that it had not ended up this way, but I could not find worthy wrapping for a good price. My bag cost me quite a lot."

"Typical Inari." Futaba whispered loud enough for all to hear.

"It shouldn't be a problem. Now, shall we get started?" Makoto asked. "We have some time before the food gets here."

Akechi had been staring at his reflection in his coffee mug, absorbing any remnants of the microwave heat that was in it when he heard mention of food.

"You... got delivery food? He asked.

Ann spoke up. "It's not a party without food, right? I think they're coming by Boss's place in a few minutes."

"I see, so Sakura-san will be joining us as well?" Akechi asked, a smile growing at his lips.

"He will. He closed the shop today when I asked him if we could do something in the cafe." Futaba pouted. "... I said we could do it early in the day or something when nobody was here, or upstairs or something. He just went ahead and gave us the cafe."

"That was very sweet of him, to allow us to use his cafe out of nowhere for this gathering. " Haru joined with Futaba in praising Sojiro for his heart of gold.

"Indeed." Yusuke spoke. "He is an incredibly charitable soul. From the moment I, Ann, and Ryuji met him, he has had that spirit on display." Ann nodded in agreement with Yusuke, while Ryuji looked up from his phone after hearing his name uttered. He nodded too. Akechi noticed Makoto and Ann both shooting the boy a glare for being on his phone while nobody else was.

"We are all very grateful to Boss, I'm sure." Makoto said. 

"As am I." Everybody turned to Akechi, who wore a forlorn smile as he stared at the glossed wood grain of the table. He let his thumb run across the surface, not meeting anybody's eyes.

"I made a very sudden request to transfer from Sae-san's home to here. The fact that he fulfilled such a selfish request of me without much word speaks volumes to Sakura-san's character, I feel." He took a sudden sip of his coffee while eluding the gazes placed on him with a smile. 

Akechi couldn't see it, but everybody else nodded in agreement with their own smiles, with Futaba leaning back against the bench.

"Can we start now? I want this to be done by the time the food comes. I'm hungry....." She whined, gaining attention from Yusuke.

"You are the one who brought up Boss, are you not?" Yusuke spoke as Futaba scrunched her eyebrows at him, as if to say 'shut up Inari'.

"Well then, let's start." Makoto announced, breaking up their argument before it started, and looking straight on at Akechi. 

"Akechi-kun." Akechi looked up, meeting eyes with Makoto.

"First, while we may not have the ability to go into the Metaverse anymore, we still go by the moniker of the Phantom Thieves, and we've been discussing this matter for a while now." She trailed off, glancing at everybody for affirmation. Akechi looked on in curiosity.

"So, as Akira, Joker, wasn't able to make it today, the matter is left up to me. So, with the permission and acceptance of all of us, I would like to formally induct you into the team, as a Phantom Thief." 

Akechi only stared. The information that he'd been fed didn't process.

"Phantom... Thief.....?" Akechi muttered.

"We never formally accepted you right? We usually welcomed everybody after we made a palace collapse with them on the team and, well..." Ann said.

"The traitor thing." Ryuji muttered from his barstool. Ann gave him a look before turning back to Akechi and Makoto. Akechi visibly winced and shrinked into himself at the mention.

"Yes..." Makoto picked up the topic again. " it is as Ryuji says, but after discussion between all of us, including Akira and Morgana... we believe it's about time to formally invite you in." 

"And we usually have a party or a get together to celebrate getting a new member, or... so i've been told." Futaba chirped. "I wasn't a founding member so I was only really here for Haru's party. But I bet none of the other parties topped Haru's." She planted her eyesight squarely on Haru, who had her hands neatly tucked on her lap under the table. "Seriously girl, who rents out all of Destinyland?!"

Akechi blinked. "D-destiny...land...?" 

Haru noticed the incredulous look on Akechi's face and smiled. "Don't worry Akechi kun... maybe sometime in the summer or later in the year we can go again! I promise!"

"Haru you are an actual ray of sunshine, you know that?" Futaba gaped at Haru's kindness, before looking down at the gifts. "Well, for now... we got a pizza party for Akechi. Not as great as Destinyland but it'll do."

Futaba reached for her gift once more, the paper crinkling and the DVD rattling around in the box that was obviously a DVD case. "Open it."

"Erm..." Akechi gingerly took the box in one hand, before looking around and seeing everybody save for Ryuji staring at him. Ryuji had taken to occasional glances between the group and his phone, all at the bar counter away from the rest of the table. He decided not to pay the blonde much mind.

"Shouldn't we distribute these first? I did this once before at work and we all assigned the proper gifts before opening them." He asked with a bewildered tone.

"Proper?" Yusuke asked. "This is not a gift exchange, is it?"

"All of this is for you Akechi-kun! Go on!" Haru exclaimed.

Akechi's face turned into one from a horror movie, stunned beyond belief, in only seconds.

"W-wait...this... I can't..." He hesitated

"Lemme tell you though, It was kinda hard to shop for you Akechi, I looked online for details from your fans but all I got was that you like sweets and I wanted to get you something that would last, y'know, not food." Ann commented.

"Th-this isn't..." Akechi stammered.

"I don't know... I had fun researching my gift! I tried my best to stay within a price range so as not to be rude. Haru joined, laughing to herself."

"I'm afraid that I may have prioritized utility over entertainment..." Makoto grimaced.

 Futaba leaned over and pushed the box that was still in Akechi's hands closer to him, giving a forced smile. "Just open it Akechi!" She commanded.

"I don't... I can't take all of this... I-"

"Just take it dude. We got all this just for you." Ryuji spoke up, but this time not from the stool. "I mean, I'm not tryna guilt ya but we did all take the time to think about and getcha stuff." 

While Akechi wasn't looking, Ryuji got up from his seat ad left the phone behind. He now stood right behind Ann's seat, leaning on the back support and getting in close proximity to her.

"No hard feelings, yeah? Go on." He motioned for Akechi to start tearing the paper, and so, Akechi searched for a corner to start at.

"Before you open it," Futaba spoke up, jarring Akechi from his growing daze. "...Guess what it is."

Akechi sat there, his brain rattling along as he translated what Futaba demanded him to do. It clicked after a few seconds, which felt like minutes to Akechi, and he answered after gently shaking the case.

"Some form of DVD." He answered. She chortled to herself.

"Well, duh. I mean what do you think it is specifically?"

"Probably anime, I would think." Yusuke absentmindedly mumbled, receiving a stern slap on the arm and an angry look from Futaba.

"Inari you jerk! Let him guess!" She shouted, almost with tears in her eyes.

Akechi watched the display as Futaba weakly gripped at Yusuke's shirt and balled it up in her fists, clearly not meaning any real harm.

"Well... I do think it's probably anime..." He mumbled quiet enough that Futaba couldn't hear, but Ann clearly did.

"Don't worry about it, Akechi." Ann sighed, as if the bickering was a daily occurence, which made Akechi shudder. Futaba could so easily grab her friend by the shirt like that?

"Oh! Me next Akechi-kun, please guess what mine is next!" Haru gingerly but quickly nicked her box and slid it towards Akechi. He could easily hear the rustling in the box just from the slide. 

Without much opposition, he took the box in hand and lightly shook it, feeling a strong momentum as if the tall rectangular box had some very uneven weight. The rustling was a clue as well, like sticks and paper rubbing against each other with each motion. He also noted holes punctured in the box as well as the paper, indicating to him that something was alive inside.

"A tree?" He spoke above Futaba and Yusuke's quarrel.

"Correct!" Haru giggled, earning an amazed look from Ann and Ryuji.

"You got him a tree? Like, a real living tree? In that box?" Ryuji pointed at the tall pink striped box in amazement. She only nodded.

"Why don't we go around and see if Akechi can guess what we got him then?" Ann asked, looking from Haru, to Makoto, to Akechi. "That is, if you don't mind Akechi-kun."

He found himself in his normal thinking gesture, gripping his chin out of habit.

"I don't have any issue with it, I doubt those two do either." Makoto pointed at Futaba and Yusuke, who were now standing as Futaba playfully tried to jump up and slap tall, lanky Yusuke in the face.

"I think it'll be fun, having a detective guess what we got without seeing what it is." Ann stated, smiling at Akechi. Ryuji sighed, avoiding Yusuke and Futaba when he went back to the bar and grabbed a final chair to add to the table. He plunked down next to Ann and grinned, placing his chin in the palm of his hand with an elbow on the table. "Well, let's see whatcha got, super sleuth. Put those detective skills to work." He joked, while Akechi gave a competitive grin, reaching for Makoto's gift.

"Gift basket." He stared Makoto in the eyes, as she squirmed under his sight. 

"N-next..." She squeaked with embarrassment.

Ann snatched her red wrapped gift that seemed rather lumpy and soft upon sight. She nudged the basket away and Akechi took the red parcel into his ungloved hands.

* * *

 

 With all his presents now unwrapped, he sat with near all his gifts free from their bindings. He gripped at the pot of Haru's unwrapped apple tree, feeling the rough earthy pot dirty up his hands before staring at his last present. Still wracked with hidden guilt, he gazed down on Ryuji's box. Futaba was busy discussing Featherman lore with Makoto and Yusuke. When Akechi had opened her Featherman HD bluray boxset gift, she had prepared herself for a tangent on why he would love the show, until he admitted that he had already been a fan when he was younger. The excitement that sparkled in her eyes made it evident to Akechi that she was winding herself up for another rant of some kind, until Makoto made the foolish decision to ask what the show was. With Futaba directing her attention to lecture on Neo Featherman for Kitagawa and Niijima, it left ample space for him to open Ann's winter jacket, which still had the price tag attached. 

Ann seemed blissfully ignorant as she smiled and asked if Akechi liked the color, saying that he would look good in the desaturated red and grays. He personally only saw himself in business colors, but chose to carry on despite his disagreement with the hue. He thanked her adequately and promised he would wear when the weather permitted it. Yusuke had a similar glimmer in his eye to that of Futaba's, simply pulling a small dark red leather bound sketch book with a flappy bookmark attached to the binding. He rambled for a while on the texture of the paper and the use of charcoal and ebony pencil until Futaba insisted Akechi continued to the next present. 

Makoto's gift basket was really nothing out of the ordinary. It had a few chocolate candies including a chocolate bar, plus some lavender scented shower and hygiene products. As a joke and way of teasing, he gave Makoto a look, as if to say, 'are you trying to tell me something?'. She responded with a look that screamed for him to shut his mouth. Where Makoto was almost ashamed of the thought in her gift, Haru was incredibly proud. Aside from the uniqueness of gifting someone a whole fruit tree, she started listing the directions for upkeep and care, the breeding process of these trees, and the fruit produced. The specific fruit, honeycrisp apple, an apple that Haru spoke mighty praises of, even describing the texture, taste, health, and origin of the one of many breeds of apples.

Now was Ryuji's turn, and Akechi met eyes with the blonde delinquent. Ryuji didn't seem to lean in like the others, but took interest in watching Akechi feel for what was in the box. Unlike everything else that was wrapped and brought here for Akechi today, he couldn't place his finger on what was inside. It rattled, but not much. It was weighty, but not heavy. There was also the crinkling sound of something like tissue paper inside, but with everything, he couldn't make a confident guess.

"I concede." He spoke, getting wide eyes from Ann.

"R-really? You can't guess it?" She gaped, looking at Ryuji. His eyes widened a bit as well, before noticing eyes from everybody at the table save for Akechi were on him. He returned the gaze to Ann and gave a toothy smile that Akechi took for fake confidence.

Akechi didn't question it, and continued on his task. He stripped the box of its paper shell and Ryuji watched as he uncovered an artificially bright orange cardboard box with a sleek white symbol on top. His curiosity nipped at his neck as he slowly lifted the lid of the box. His nose twitched with a new rubber and fabric smell, seeing the contents were a pair of new sporting shoes, adorned in white and black accents.

"Sport shoes...?" Akechi asked, with Ryuji's posture straightening out in his chair.

"My ma usually gives me money for the newest runnin' shoes around this time every year. Figured you could use it more than me since mine are still pretty good." Ryuji answered with an indifferent grin. He leaned in close and playfully jabbed Akechi in the side with his elbow.

"Let's go out runnin to break em in, got it?" He winked, leaving Akechi silent.

"I thought Akechi-kun wasn't allowed to go outside..." Haru questioned, twiddling a leaf from the tree between her fingers.

"My sis said there isn't any issue with you leaving, Akechi." Makoto cut in. "so why did Boss and Futaba say that you haven't left the cafe at all..?"

Akechi sighed. "I can leave just fine." He spun his room temperature mug around in his hands, fidgeting and pale. "As for the accusation that I never leave, it's untrue. I leave to go to the bathhouse at night every other day when the shop closes." His hands return to his chin in thought as he hummed, fishing for more words. "Oh, i suppose there's also Sae-san's sanctioned doctor's appointments across the street."

"Oh yeah, forgot about those." Futaba said, laying back against the bench.

"Doctor's appointments? What for?" Ann asked as Akechi hummed in thought again before finding an answer.

"I... suppose it creates a sort of security for Sae-san. I don't particularly see the purpose, but after all she has done, I go along with it." He cleared his throat and lifted his mug to take a drink. "I have another one next week, if any of you intended on joining." He laughed to himself, taking down another gulp.

"Well, you still don't leave the attic because you want to. So I don't count it." Futaba mumbled to herself.

"Perhaps Akechi-kun is simply in a slump of sorts." Haru beamed, radiating kindness.

"What, like an artist slump, but for detectives?" Ann joined.

"He's still doing work though, he just isn't leaving the cafe." Makoto spoke up.

"A repetitive lifestyle is also a contributor to slumps. Or so I heard from peers." Yusuke chided.

Ryuji listened in on the group's idle banter with a neutral face, looking over everybody's faces. When his gaze brushed over Akechi, the thinner boy was still mid sip. His left hand gripped the mug with an iron hold, like he'd already had a mug break today and was afraid of losing another. The strain in his bare hand was hard not to notice to even a weak eye like Ryuji's. While raking over the bones in Akechi's hand his eyesight ran over some marks separating the thumb from the rest of his hand. The skin was pale pink and red, and shaped like a sweeping cut, but said cut was broken into abstract chunks of traumatized flesh. The broken red bits of skin housed tiny impressions into the muscle, like something clamped down and left the marks. Ryuji racked his brain to figure out why he'd never seen those mystery marks, before remembering that Akechi had only recently stopped wearing his trademark black leather gloves.

As Ryuji stared at his hands, Akechi put down his mug, letting Ryuji see that Akechi was staring past the blonde’s shoulder beyond the rim of his cup. Ryuji followed and looked over his own shoulder, seeing nothing. He brought his attention back to Akechi, seeing how glossy and dull his eyes were, like he was somewhere else. Ryuji took another look behind himself, wondering what the hell kept Akechi's eyes planted where they were.

 


	3. Confidants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thankies from mcspankies to my bud supermechabadger on tumblr for being my test reader and giving me improvement advice for the final draft of this chapter!

A few days passed since the party where Akechi received his apple tree and other presents. Not long enough for any significant process to be made with the tree growing, for him to break in his new shoes, or for him to start filling his new sketchbook. In those days, two of them were visiting days. He read the others texting about it and calling them visiting days in their special chatroom. Sometimes he wondered if they all remembered that they added Akechi to that room, because often they sent messages as if they thought he couldn’t see them.

 

On those two visiting days, he was visited by the girls, the first of those days being Haru and Ann. Haru seemed more interested in showing Akechi how to upkeep his tree than anything, while Ann just watched and asked Haru about gardening tips and facts. The most he got out of the experience was Haru showing him how to prune dead leaves and branches.

 

Two days after came Makoto and Futaba. Futaba carried her personal game system up the stairs in a cloth bag to start the afternoon off. He ended up having to help her carry it upstairs and set it up into an old beat up CRT that Akira left behind. Makoto acted as waiter and brought curry, coffee, and other snacks a lot of the time, barely interacting with him or Futaba. 

Akechi saw it as her way of giving him and Futaba space. For what? He had an inkling of an idea of what Makoto wanted, and the left and right sides of his brain went to war in thought every time he thought about it. 

Not now. Now wasn't the time for it. When was the time for it? He couldn’t be sure, but now definitely wasn’t, not for Futaba or Haru.

The night consisted of him wrestling with those thoughts while also attempting conversation and interaction with Futaba Sakura, which was by no means an easy feat, even without juggling heavy thoughts in your mind all night.

She was especially ecstatic over the game they were playing, something called Mahou Jojo Meguca. He was given a choice between that and a murder mystery detective game that piqued his interest, but he instead chose the magical girl game to please Futaba, who seemed more excited to play that game.

She laughed at him for the rest of the night, but it was worth it to make sure Futaba was happy.

 

Yusuke came by the next day. It was by no means unwelcome, he had more energy for their activity with the sun being up, despite how late Futaba and Makoto had kept him up.

 

The first thing to catch his eye was Yusuke's supplies. He carried two long pole looking objects, like folded tripods that Akechi would see at the TV station. Along with that was his satchel, caked in graphite and other colored materials like paint and whatever else artists used. Under his arm was a pad of paper as well.

 

"Good morning. I apologize if I arrived too early."

Yusuke bowed a bit, something Akechi saw as the young man's traditional way of life showing through.

 

"It's alright, please, allow me." Akechi held out a hand, offering to help Yusuke with his tripod object. Yusuke took a moment to process the gesture, before muttering a simple 'oh', and giving Akechi one of the sticks.

The two climbed the stairs with the equipment in hand. Yusuke unfurled the tripod items and revealed to Akechi that they were metal easels for drawing and painting.

 

"Do you have a utility sink by any chance, Akechi?" Yusuke asked, while tearing out two pieces of canvas paper from his book.

Akechi could only think of the sink Sojiro used to cleaning dishes, and gave a soft shake of the head.

 

"I see, I suppose that I will need to clean my brushes when I return home in that case." He uttered to himself, and finally clipped the canvas paper into their spots in the easels.

 

"Anyhow, I have an assignment to do for school. Futaba also asked me to come and do something with you today." Yusuke pulled up a stool and plopped down on it, Akechi followed suit and got his own stool.

He was offered a pencil by the taller boy, and Akechi accepted it as he watched Yusuke swirling his own pencil around his paper.

"I would not call this an art tutorial, but I am curious as to the quality of your artistic abilities Akechi. Have you drawn before?"

 

Akechi was caught a bit off guard by Yusuke's bluntness. He saw it coming, considering that there were two drawing setups, anybody would. However, he was surprisingly open to the idea, despite the overall lack of motivation for anything that Akechi had been having the last few weeks.

 

"Well, nothing on the scale of what you've done before Kitagawa-kun. The most I have ever done is silly doodles in my workbooks as a child." Akechi answered, remembering idiotic scribbles on his worksheets of sentai shows and cartoons from the time.

 

"I see." Yusuke listed as he stroked his chin with his pencil in hand. He looked around the room for a while before returning to his paper and held the pencil at arm length so the tip barely touched the paper.

"We will start with a basic warmup exercise then."

 

Akechi did his part and followed the gesture with his own pencil. He then mimicked Yusuke as the younger man drew a circle that took up most of the paper. He saw it as a waste of material but didn't question it, Yusuke had more experience in this field and was easily more trustworthy than the tiny utilitarian bit of Akechi's brain.

 

The two stood silent for an eternity, Yusuke's eyes laser focused onto every wrinkle of the paper while Akechi just felt an awkward energy.

He made the decision not to break the atmosphere, and dutifully persevered until his arm nearly went numb.

 

"Kitagawa...how long do you usually do this for…? My arm is cramping."

Akechi asked, hoping to break through Yusuke's trance. As expected though, Akechi had to wait a few seconds before Yusuke processed that he was asked a question.

 

"I… usually do this for a few minutes… as this exercise readied the arm to make long continuous strokes and curves that are used in drawing." He spoke without lifting his eyes from his paper, still drawing a circle. 

Akechi took the time to inspect Yusuke's handiwork in comparison to his own.

 

He wasn't an artist, but he could easily tell the difference in skill and experience between the two. Akechi's circle felt wobbly and unconfident, the line wiggled and rose from the paper in some instances, indicated by a few dashes and stray strokes.

Yusuke's however, somehow had depth to it. The line didn't waver once, and still didn't while he was still working on it. The strokes layered over each other to make a thick grey outline that made the shape look infinitely better than anything Akechi could have drawn.

 

"If you are reflecting on the difference in quality, keep in mind that there is a gap in experience." Yusuke suddenly spoke in his usual calm manner.

"It may sound a tad cliche, but the ability to control your hands correctly and understand the elements of art and design comes with time and practice. I have met many an artist that gives up because they did not see their skills develop quickly enough."

 

Yusuke finally lifted his pencil off the paper and took a step backwards. He then angled his pencil and shut one eye, a pose Akechi accepted as a position artists use to check their work.

 

"Did you let the back of your hand touch the paper as you drew?" Yusuke asked, to which Akechi first glanced at his messy amalgamation on paper, then to the back of his hand. He found it caked in graphite.

 

"I suppose I did. Was I not supposed to?" Akechi replied. Yusuke hummed, grabbing some sort of small white substance from his bag which he immediately began to stretch in both hands.

 

"The exercise is meant to emphasize the use of the arm and not relying on the wrist. My teacher instructed his students of this, though I felt it would be good to see how you would do without much instruction." He stretched the object more, then molded it back into its original shape. He repeated the process, almost like kneading dough.

"I would recommend washing your hands, graphite isn't necessarily hazardous or harmful, but it can irritate the hands."

 

Akechi only nodded, heading downstairs while Yusuke prepared his next exercise, or so Akechi assumed that that was what he was doing. He never could understand the Phantom Thieves' most cryptic member.

 

Before Akechi's graphite dusted fingers could reach the bathroom, the bell at the door chimed.

Akechi looked away from the bathroom door to see Sojiro and Ryuji.

Now that he thought about it, now was around the time Sojiro came around to start prepping for service.

 

"Hey." Sojiro greeted. "I'm guessing Kitagawa is upstairs already." He had his hands in his pockets before pulling them out to slip on an apron. Ryuji stepped out of the way to allow Sojiro through, choosing to squat down onto a booth seat for the time being.

Akechi nodded for Sojiro, and threw a questioning eye motion at Ryuji, who only responded with his own straight stare.

 

"I just came downstairs to wash my hands." Akechi flashed his grey powdered left hand, before slipping into the bathroom and turning on the tap.

 

"A'ight. When these two leave for the day, I wanna run you through on your job here. Sooner is better than later." Sojiro spoke through the thin walls of his cafe. Akechi didn't bother answering, not out of disrespect, but some semblance of a kinship that he felt with Sojiro.

 

He started climbing the staircase again with his squeaky clean palms, only looking back to look at Ryuji. The delinquent was still squatted, his back bent forward and he stared Akechi in the eyes. Akechi only internally groaned, then ascended again. He did, however, hear Ryuji begin climbing up the stairs after Akechi arrived at Yusuke's side.

* * *

 

Around lunchtime that evening, Yusuke wanted to take a break from drawing.

Akechi had been following him closely, as Yusuke tried to explain horizon lines and perspective in contrast to said horizon line.

While Yusuke went downstairs to use the bathroom, Ryuji spoke up from where he sat on the bed in the room.

 

"Man, I couldn't understand any of that crap Yusuke was talkin about. Horizon line?" He rubbed his head, sighing.

"I could never follow him whenever I asked him to teach me how to draw."

 

Akechi still stared at his own work, a line across the length of the paper, accompanied by floating cubes. 

He didn't see the same wobbly line issue he had with the circle, mostly because Yusuke had allowed him to use a ruler for perspective work.

Akechi didn't look up from his paper as he corrected one of his lines with the ruler.

 

"It's been going fine so far." Akechi responded after a while, as if in his own little world.

 

Ryuji blinked.

 

"Fine? As in he aint confusing the shit out of you? Lucky." He chuckled, flopping back onto the bed with his arms cushioning his head.

"Then again, you would be the kinda guy to get whatever he throws at you huh?"

 

Akechi hummed an "mm-hmm" and skritched at his horizon line, trying to correct his work.

He was only half listening to Ryuji.

 

A few moments passed in silence, Ryuji staring at corners and Akechi minding his own business. They sat like that until hearing creaking footsteps on the stairs.

Yusuke came back, now with a steaming plate and cup in hand.

 

"Apologies, the Boss offered me lunch and I partook." Yusuke took a sip of his hot coffee and set his curry plate down next to the CRT.

 

Ryuji shot up, eyes sparkling.

 

"Forreal? Heh, I'll be right back!" 

He got up and jogged his way downstairs, a big goofy grin on his face.

Akechi only scoffed at how childish he seemed, like a kid on christmas. 

Yusuke wandered over to Akechi's setup, stood behind him, and leaned in to inspect the drawing.

 

"This is quite good, Akechi. Very good considering your experience. Perhaps we should move on to two point perspective next."

 

Akechi was going to offer a thank you, before looking Yusuke in the face and realizing he was deep in thought and probably wouldn't answer if Akechi said anything.

With his thumb on his chin, Yusuke put his mug down, with his curry, making to move his easel somewhere else in the room.

He removed his perspective drawing and placed it on top of his bag, the same place where he put the circle drawing.

He then pulled the easel backward, stopping at times to close one eye or frame the room with his thumb and pointer.

A while later, Yusuke found his spot and Ryuji ran back upstairs with a curry and coffee cup.

 

He crashed back down on the bed, not wasting any time before shoveling curry into his mouth. He haphazardly left the mug on the floor right by his foot, only succeeding in stressing Akechi out. Just a slip of the leg and there would be coffee on his floor.

Akechi must have been glaring because Ryuji looked up from his food and looked Akechi in the eye a moment before clearing his throat and letting his eyes dart around the room.

 

“A-ah, uh, Akechi. Boss gave me a cup of coffee, didn’t wanna tell him I don’t really like the stuff.” He winced just saying that and rubbed the back of his neck before bending down and snatching the mug, holding it out for Akechi.

“My Ma drilled it into me that I shouldn’t waste food, or… drinks in this case. Anyway, you can have my coffee.”

 

Akechi eyed the mug and reluctantly accepted it. He took it from the delinquent boy, touching his pointer finger in the process and shivering at how rough the side of it felt. Ryuji must have had a callus in that spot. Akechi never took Sakamoto for the type to work hard enough to even have calluses.

He threw the topic out of mind and blew on the cup, he didn’t feel like drinking it hot like he used to be able.

 

After taking a swig and letting the brew coat his teeth before going down his throat, he heard a light slap, hands clapping, from across the room, from Yusuke.

 

“Yes, that’s it! We will do hands next!” He dragged his easel over to where it formerly was, a waste of effort if it was going to return to the same spot, but Yusuke was an oddball in all circles.

 

“Ryuji, take that mug in your hand and pose for us please.” Both boys could see the sparkle in Yusuke’s eyes, the sheer excitement to draw a hand holding a cup was an absolute oddity in Akechi’s world.

Where he was respectful and said nothing, Ryuji gave a tired grin.

 

“Dude, I’m not doin that. Didn’t you drag me to that run down art store the other day and they had those wood hand dolls? Just get one of those.”

 

“A wooden puppet is not the same. They are no replacement for the human figure! Asking me to purchase a poseable hand that sits lifelessly on a supply table is an offense to art and my personal standards as an artist!”

 

“Hah!? The hell does that even mean!? It’s all goin on the paper anyway! And I’m not cramping myself up again by holding a full mug of coffee for like 15 minutes! Y’know I still remember when you made me hold up that big stupid globe for your art class, I’m still sore in the shoulders!”

 

“I apologized for that, but to be fair, you made the process more painful by not holding it properly for the first few minutes. We spent a large amount of that session’s time adjusting your position adequately for drawing.”

 

“Yeah! Five minutes to change how I held the stupid thing, the rest of that shit took like an hour! And you're still not done with it!”

 

“Art takes longer than an hour! It is a craft that must be honed and explored properly before executing a final draft!”

 

Akechi watched as the two dealt verbal blows to each other.He had no personal stake in either, nor did he want any one party to win the argument. He sat silent and drank, playing with the liquid in his mouth out of boredom. A few swipes at his social media feed later, and he heard rustling.

He shifted his view over to Yusuke, crouched on the floor and pulling out something from his bag.

When Yusuke stood and returned to his stool beside Akechi and in front of Ryuji, Akechi spotted magazines, the type that were sold in the underground mall and the train station.

Yusuke huffed, probably worked up from whatever he and Ryuji were yelling about.

 

“I will have you know I can easily sketch from two dimensional material, it is not that I am incapable. I prefer to challenge myself with-”

 

“Is that Ann on the front cover?” Ryuji blurted.

 

Yusuke looked like a deer in headlights, like Ryuji snatched the breath from his lungs.

 

“I-It is sheer coincidence…”Yusuke gaped, hugging the magazines close to his chest.

 

Ryuji leaned in close, a sneer on his face.

 

“...Fo’real?” He smirked, clearly having the time of his life teasing his friend.

 

“Please… do not tell her. She told me to respect her boundaries but… I cannot help it, she is my muse!” Yusuke cried in despair, making Akechi think Ann asking for personal space from being a model for the artist was some sort of PTSD triggering event for him.

 

“Dude, chill, it’s not that big of a deal. You paid for them so do whatever, Ann should be thankin you for buying her mags.” Ryuji chuckled, arms behind his back, carefree as ever despite the earlier blowup argument between the two.

It bewildered Akechi a bit that the two could be fighting one second then laughing the next. Well, laughing in Ryuji’s case, Yusuke didn’t seem pleased in the slightest.

 

“Hey, how bout you show Akechi how to draw bodies an shit? I heard from some guy I knew in junior high that hands are really hard to draw but startin with torsos and shit is a bit easier.”

Ryuji suggested as he picked up his curry plate again. Akechi didn’t notice in the earlier chaos that Ryuji put it by his feet again, but found himself a tad disgusted when he started scarfing food again and talking at the same time.

 

“I suppose. Akechi? Would you be willing to make an attempt?” Yusuke directed the question at Akechi.

 

He didn’t really see much reason not to attempt it. He didn’t really seem to hate nor like his own art thus far, but then again there aren’t many qualities to ‘like’ in shape drawing. He only nodded, to which Yusuke answered with his own nod. He handed one of the magazines in his arms to Akechi, a reference, if he remembered correctly. He also gave Akechi a colored pencil, a red colored one.

 

Akechi blinked, not understanding the color change. He spotted that Yusuke was using a blue pencil, for whatever reason.

 

"Blue and red pencils make for lighter drawings, they do not produce as dark of a product as a grey graphite pencil like we have been using."

Yusuke answered Akechi's obviously questioning gaze.

 

Ryuji couldn’t see what they were doing behind their easels, and so didn’t see when Yusuke flipped to a page with Ann posing alongside a new sport bike. Akechi admitted, it was a bit difficult not to feel a tang of humor in the irony of that. He gave a little smile before flipping through his own magazine for a model to draw.

 

He searched quickly, not having a particular person or taste in mind. He had no preference for how a woman looked or what he likes in a model before now, given the focus on his “work”. He still had none, and simply rolled the die by closing his eyes and shuffling to a random page.

Coincidentally, it was a page that involved Ann, but only as a small image in the corner.

The real star of that page was a more mature model on the right page. She wore a summer dress in a glorious pale blue and white with lace adorning the chest and straps. The material was slightly see through at the bottom, showing a bit of the knees, but overall, it was a very cutesy design with something that screamed ‘home’ at him. 

 

He placed his book down on the easel like Yusuke did, earning a curious look from the artist.

Ryuji didn’t seem to feel like keeping his eyes to himself either, as he got up and tried to crane his head around the easels to peak at Akechi’s model choice.

 

“So, that’s your type? Never thought you for a plain jane fan Akechi.” Ryuji blurted. Akechi couldn’t help but feel a migraine coming on.

The last thing he wanted right now was discussing his ‘type’ with Sakamoto.

 

“It’s not.” Akechi defended himself.

 

“Then what is your type?” Yusuke joined the attack. 

“If you do not mind me asking, of course.”

 

“Hah? Why the hell do you wanna know Yusuke?” Ryuji asked.

“I didn’t think you cared about guy talk.”

 

“One, this isn’t guy talk. Two-” Akechi started, but was stopped

 

“I would like to know who Akechi’s muse would be.” 

 

“The hell’s a muse?” Ryuji responded to Yusuke’s statement while ignoring Akechi’s attempts at changing the subject.

 

“I presume you two have heard of the Mona Lisa. Think of La Gioconda, the woman of subject in the portrait, as the woman that inspired all of Leonardo Da Vinci’s works.” Yusuke explained, deep in thought as indicated by a thumb on his chin.

 

“I don’t get it. Don’t portrait painters paint people they think look beautiful or whatever?” Ryuji foolishly spoke in front of Yusuke. Before he could even get started on another tangent, Akechi rushed to fix the misunderstanding.

 

“Think of it like social media users that see something in real life and decide to stop and photograph it in an overly cinematic view. Like someone that buys a trendy looking drink at the coffee store and spends five minutes to take a picture that will look just right on their wall.” Akechi rationalized, crossing one leg. He watched as the realization came over Ryuji, and he gave a resounding ‘oh’.

 

“So, it’s like thinking your girlfriend looks pretty and taking pictures of her when she ain’t lookin? Or, something like that.” Ryuji rubbed the back of his head, clearly still confused.

 

“I’ll put it this way.” Akechi responded.

“A muse is to an artist as Takamaki-san is to Kitagawa-kun.”

 

“Yes, well. Let us start Akechi.” Yusuke quickly changed the subject, before Ryuji could object. Ryuji only chuckled though.

 

Yusuke began drawing a small circle, which Akechi copied, being sure to follow the tips he was offered in their first exercise. Ryuji didn’t want to let the subject drop.

 

“Akechi, seriously though, what’s your type?”

 

“I don’t have a type Sakamoto-kun.” Akechi answered.

 

“Bullshit, everybody has a type.” Ryuji insisted.

 

“I’ve never thought about it, so I wouldn’t be able to tell you even if I wanted to.” Akechi sighed, continuing to draw.

 

“Okay, well, what do you like about this lady then?” Ryuji snatched the magazine off Akechi’s easel and pointed at the woman in the white dress. Akechi groaned and held the bridge of his nose.

 

“I was using that.”

 

“You’re drawin lines, you don’t need it right now. Go on, name somethin.” Ryuji slouched back onto the bed.

Akechi took a moment and decided the quickest way to end the subject was the give Ryuji that answer he wanted, or at least some semblance of an answer that would appease him.

 

“H-hell… I don’t know.” Akechi stammered, searching the image for an answer. Finally, he gave up and just pointed at the model’s midsection.

“The...dress. It’s a nice looking dress.”

 

Ryuji flipped the magazine back towards himself, inspecting the picture close and squinting his eyes a bit.

 

“I don’t see it. Is it cuz it’s cute?”

 

Akechi only shrugged, getting back to drawing and just following Yusuke, who was already starting on his drawing of Ann with smooth slender shoulders and her long blonde twintails.

 

The three sat in silence for a while after the commotion. Ryuji sat inspecting the magazine while Yusuke sketched a torso bust of Ann in the street clothes she was wearing in the photo. Akechi, however, was left without a reference or girl to draw. Left without a visual aid, he simply winged it while watching Yusuke and his magazine.

 

“I got it! It’s an innocent dress!”

 

Yusuke and Akechi glanced at Ryuji, who suddenly yelled out of nowhere.

 

“I looked up white dresses and stuff online, turns out people use that word with white dresses a lot. So… Akechi likes that pure love and innocent girl aesthetic, eh?”

 

“No.” Akechi was blunt and straight.

“I just liked the dress Ryuji.”

 

“Sure, sure.” Ryuji giggled to himself, flipping through the magazine and losing Akechi’s page.

Whatever, it didn’t matter anmore. He already had a drawing to show for it.

 

Yusuke gave an exhausted sigh and unclipped his sketch from the easel, inspected his work with a stern eye. Akechi saw him crack a proud smile, and quickly became curious.

“Well, I have finished my drawing. I suppose you have as well, Akechi?”

 

Akechi did, so he nodded, but didn’t move to remove the paper.

 

“Well? You two aren’t gonna show me?” Ryuji broke in, almost offended.

“Show em!”

 

“Very well.” I will show it.” Yusuke proudly declared.

“Behold, I call this… Trails of Sunlight.”

Yusuke twirled the page around and flaunted it for the other two boys to see, revealing a rather strange amalgamation of human facial and torso features.

The chin was sharp, the lips were even sharper, and the eyes were formed with strange slit shapes. The semblance of the smooth shoulders Akechi saw earlier in the process were gone and replaced by two straight plateaus. Ann’s hair was the only thing that convinced Akechi this entire work wasn’t made with rulers, as they were the only curly parts of the picture.

 

 

“Dude… why the hell does she look like that?” Ryuji asked, stupefied, but somehow not bewildered beyond belief like Akechi was.

 

“I drew her in an impressionist style.” Yusuke answered, smiling to himself and holding ‘Trails of Sunlight’ close to his chest.

“Truth be told, I was attempting it today as practice for a piece I am currently working on at home. I believe that this is a superior version of my current studio prototype.”

 

“Sure, man. Whatever floats your boat.” Ryuji rolled his eyes, but soon after excitedly turned to Akechi.

“So, how about yours?”

 

Akechi didn’t get up to present the picture, and so Ryuji stood up on his own, tossing his long done curry plate onto the bed, and stood behind Akechi to inspect the work. Yusuke followed, gently placing his masterpiece on his stool.

 

“...huh.” Was Ryuji’s only initial response.

 

The drawing was by no means perfect. The shoulders were flat with no depth, the collarbone had no form, but the true saving grace was the face.

She held a warm smile, her closed eyes not bright and cheery nor depressed and gloomy. Locks of hair swayed delicately in an imaginary breeze, and she held a cute grin that rang of happiness to Ryuji.

 

“Remarkable…” Yusuke stood stunned.

“This is… incredible Akechi.”

Akechi scratched his neck, not seeing much impressive about it, but he supposed a lot of artists normally had that experience.

 

“How’d ya do it? I mean, damn, she looks pretty as hell.” Ryuji stammered. He was by no means an art critic or even someone that looked at that much art, but he seemed flabbergasted by the details of the picture, especially the face.

 

“Don’t know.” Akechi responded, looking the picture dead on and not moving.

“I just drew what I saw.”

 

He felt pressure in his arms that he didn’t know what to do with. His hands hurt, his wrist even more so, and his fingers went white clenching down on his pencil in his left hand. A warm sensation blazed on his right palm. He again chalked it up to the artist experience, perhaps the heat under his skin was the pain from all the pressure in his palm catching up with him much like how paperwork nights at the police department used to do.

 

“It’s...real freakin good… really damn good, man!” Ryuji knocked Akechi in the shoulder, something of an encouragement bump is what Akechi took it as. He only remained silent, listlessly staring at the drawing’s face just as the other two were.

Ryuji noticed though, it looked more like a trance than anything.

 

Yusuke closed in even more, bending down and getting in Akechi’s comfort space, but again, the newfound artist didn’t even budge.

Ryuji blinked, now not being able to take his eyes off Akechi, mostly the glazed over, glassy eyes that reminded him of…

 

“Excuse me.” Akechi suddenly got up and pushed past Ryuji, and trudged down the staircase, holding one arm.

 

“What’s up with him…?” Ryuji questioned out loud. He had hoped to hear a response from Yusuke, but received none. Ryuji looked back at the easel and saw Yusuke still absorbed in his own little artist world.

Ryuji only sighed, same old Yusuke.

“You gotta come back down to earth someday bud.” Ryuji lightheartedly mumbled to himself.

He went around the little roadblock to the bed that Yusuke and the easels created to get back to his spot, seeing the magazine still sitting on the sheets.

That was right, he had been holding the magazine the entire time that Yusuke and Akechi were drawing.

 

Ryuji grinned looking back on how Yusuke kept glancing at that picture of Ann just to come out with such a weird drawing. Hell, Akechi didn’t have a reference and still came out with such a great piece.

 

Ryuji stopped in his tracks for a second, staring at the magazine and thinking.

“I drew what I saw, eh?” He scoffed.

 

He went to sit back down before taking a meaningless peak over at Akechi’s stool.

 

Ryuji walked back around to see what was left lying there.

 

He picked up one of Yusuke’s drawing pencils, with a red bit in place of the tip that left marks. Ryuji thought it was weird that the two were drawing with colored pencils, but disregarded that as Yusuke just being strange. Upon closer inspection, he found more red than just the colored pencil bit, namely on the wood that kept the tip affixed to the pencil. There was more of that red stuff on the stool, only a tiny splurt, but that was more than enough to tell Ryuji what the red mystery stuff was.

 

"This truly is a wonderful novice piece though." Yusuke absentmindedly spoke. Ryuji looked at the drawing again, the red pencil in hand.

 

"Huh? Y-yeah. It's pretty good." Ryuji groaned. "Hard to believe a guy like detective prince Akechi was good at drawin too."

 

"This is truly a leap in skill however. The long strokes, the contrast of light to dark in said strokes. There is also something to be said in the color. It was only a second thought, allowing him to use a red pencil while I used blue." 

 

Yusuke motioned back to his own picture of Ann, done in blue.

 

"There is certainly an interesting mood regarding the color choice in both of our sketches. Blue reflects tranquility and calmness yet the sharp strokes of my portrait convey chaos. The red of Akechi's drawing… it is calm and tranquil linewise but the red conveys something of a… dare I say… A promised comfort with a hidden intention. That is just my own impression, however. Perhaps I can mat the two together as a duality piece…"

 

Ryuji listened to Yusuke ramble on about art as he always did, while eyeing Akechi's portrait more and saw the left corner.

Upon further thought, Akechi was left-handed, wasn't he?

 

He wandered a bit closer to Akechi's easel, seeing a blur of red on the left corner. It was a bit darker than the light red strokes of the drawing. Ryuji held up the colored pencil in his hand in front of the blurred… thing on the page. 

The blurred thing was as dark as the pencil, and the stuff on the stool, and it was still wet to boot.

 

Ryuji pocketed the pencil without saying a word to Yusuke. He would apologize about taking it later.

 

Later being tomorrow.

 


End file.
